The handicapper split the field of 33 riders into six groups for the 21km race.

George Rigon, Jack Trimbole, Paige Campbell, Les Wade, Ana Stoll and Sarah Trotter made up the limit group and had a 10-minute handicap.

Group five started off eight minutes and featured Ros Nugan, Dick Hore, Mark Palmer, Melissa Budd and Alana Rossitter.

Jo Polkinghorne, Bron Jones, Michael Taylor, Jenni Massey, Paul Muir, Peggy Carpenter and Frank Signor rode in group four off a five-minute start,  while group three’s Gary Polkinghorne, Tony Delgigante, Pete Stockwell, Albert Ravanello, Greg Bennett, James Scremin and Steve McLean were off three minutes.

The chopping block group was four strong. Mitch Harrison, Jeff Stoll, Craig Tilston and Rob Gee were let loose with a slender 90-second advantage.

The quartet, however, soon became a trio after Harrison pulled a massive turn and blew his legs to pieces. 

The scratch riders of Mal Blake, Jason Minato and Peter Budd started the race fast and powered through the middle portion but couldn't make up the ground. 

The group five riders responded well to the direction of Hore and hit the lead with 3km remaining.

Palmer put in a solid sprint to beat Melissa Budd to the line, with Hore, Nugan and Wade next. 

McLean once again sprinted well from group three to take sixth and was followed by Scremin, Delgigante, Stockwell and Massey to round out the top 10.

Blake had the fastest time after clocking a slick 28min27sec at an average speed of 44.3km/h.

The one-lap graded scratch races followed the handicap event and saw Blake win A grade from Minato and Peter Budd. Tilston and Gee rode their first A grade race on the day.

McLean claimed B grade, while Jones (C grade) and Trimbole (D grade) were the other winners. 

Griffith Cycle Club riders will travel to Narrandera this weekend for the first interclub race of the year. The event – a 70km handicap – is expected to attract 80 riders.